Australia boss Mal Meninga says he’ll always urge his players to try their hand in Super League.
He’s arrived in the UK with his Kangaroos squad who start their World Cup defence against Fiji at Headingley next Saturday. It means rugby league fans here will get to see some of the sport’s greatest talent including NRL superstars James Tedesco, Latrell Mitchell and Nathan Cleary. Aussie legends like Meninga, Wally Lewis and Peter Sterling used to regularly play for English clubs in their off-season when rugby league was a winter sport.
But since the NRL and Super League calendars essentially aligned in 1996, it’s rare the best players come over. Meninga, one of the sport’s greatest-ever players, admitted: “It is a shame. We used to love coming here, not just coming over to play club footy but also for tours where the Kangaroos faced all the club sides, not just Great Britain Tests.
“That was a great atmosphere and a great experience. We had a lot of fun with them. I loved my time at St Helens (in 1984-85). And I always say to people if they get the opportunity to go play in England to go do it as it is something you have to behold.”
Much of England’s best quality has gone the other way in recent years especially given the NRL’s greater salary cap. But Super League will hope some of the current Kangaroos squad enjoy the UK so much over the coming weeks they might be tempted to return. The iconic Meninga will stay on after the tournament ends to head out on a speaking tour of St Helens, Hull, Whitehaven and Bradford.
But first he hopes to mastermind yet another glory - the Aussies have won EIGHT of the last nine World Cups. He’s an inexperienced squad with 13 debutants but that is largely due to the fact Australia haven’t played a single Test match since a shock defeat to Tonga in 2019. Meninga, 62, has also seen some big stars opt to play for their heritage nations with Jarome Luai, Brian To’o and Joseph Suaalii all plumping for Samoa and David Fifita pledging to Tonga.
But he insisted: “The eligibility side of it we got all sorted early, so that allows all nations to prepare a lot better than what they’ve normally done in the past. Even England having (Australian born) Victor Radley, he’s aligned himself with them which is great. I just think it's brilliant for the international game we’ve got that direction now. Our squad is relatively inexperienced. A lot of players haven’t experienced the English conditions. But I’ve said to them it's going to be a wonderful tour. And the experience of a lifetime.”
On his speaking tour, he added: “I do really enjoy England and the north of England and the rugby league fans up there. I know how appreciative they are of the game and I’m looking forward to meeting as many people as I can, relieving some old memories and hopefully catching up with some old mates from the good old days.”
Legendary former Canberra and Queensland State of Origin centre Meninga -one of Aussie rugby league’s Immortals - has been a big fan of the country ever since he first toured with the 1982 “Invincibles” Kangaroos. He returned for a brilliant season with St Helens in 1984-85. His former Australia team-mate Peter Sterling, of course, earned legendary status at Hull around the same time. Meninga, who will talk at Hull’s MKM Stadium on Sunday November 27, said: “We all speak fondly about our time in the UK.
“Sterlo had a big impact on Hull. I was actually at that Challenge Cup final between them and Wigan down at Wembley in 1985. It was a fantastic game and probably, in my memory, the best game I've ever watched. There were 100,000 people there and seeing Sterlo and Brett Kenny go at each other was a fantastic experience.
“Unfortunately, I never got to play in the Challenge Cup final. That would have been fantastic. For whatever reasons, I never got a chance to do that."
Meninga will also visit Bradford’s Cedar Court Hotel (Thursday November 24), St Helens’ Totally Wicked Stadium (Friday November 25) and Whitehaven (Saturday November 26).
For more details on tickets to see Mal Meninga's speaking tour, visit https://mjksportsevents.co.uk
